The bombardment was one of Israel’s heaviest since the war began a month ago.<\/p>\n
According to Gaza City’s Al-Shifa hospital, about 200 people were killed.<\/p>\n
South Africa’s government, which has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, staunchly condemned Israel on Monday.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor told a press conference that South Africa was withdrawing its diplomats, saying: “We are… extremely concerned at the continued killing of children and innocent civilians in the Palestinian territories and we believe the nature of response by Israel has become one of collective punishment.<\/p>\n
“We felt it important that we do signal the concern of South Africa while continuing to call for a comprehensive cessation [of hostilities].”<\/p>\n
Israel has insisted it is trying to minimise civilian casualties and accuses Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, of using non-combatants as human shields.<\/p>\n
On 7 October, fighters from Hamas – which the UK, US and other Western powers class as a terrorist organisation – killed more than 1,400 people in Israel. They also took more than 230 hostages, including one South African national who has not yet been identified.<\/p>\n
Israel has responded by vowing to destroy Hamas and carrying out numerous air strikes on Gaza. More than 10,000 people have been killed there since the siege began, the Hamas-run health ministry says.<\/p>\n
Lior Haiat, a spokesman for the Israeli minister of foreign affairs, posted a response on X (formerly Twitter), saying South Africa’s decision to recall its diplomatic staff was a “victory for the Hamas terrorist organisation and rewards it for the massacre” of 7 October.<\/p>\n
“Israel expects South Africa to condemn Hamas, which is worse than Isis, and to respect Israel’s right to defend itself against an attack by a horrific terrorist organisation that has engraved on its flag a call for the destruction of the State of Israel,” Mr Haiat posted.<\/p>\n
South Africa’s government has long backed the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) often links the Palestinian cause to its own struggle against apartheid.<\/p>\n
The recall of the diplomats was “normal practice”, Foreign Minister Pandor said, adding that the envoys would give a “full briefing” to the government. After this, the government will decide whether it can be of assistance or if a “continued relationship is actually able to be sustained”, Ms Pandor said.<\/p>\n
South Africa’s cabinet also accused Israeli ambassador Eliav Belotsercovsky of making derogatory remarks about South Africans, including members of government, who had criticised Israel’s government.<\/p>\n
“The disparaging remarks against those speaking up against the atrocities and the country’s leaders make ambassador Belotsercovsky position more and more untenable,” the cabinet statement said.<\/p>\n
South Africa is not the first country to recall its diplomats from Israel in protest against the military operation in Gaza – Chad, Chile and Colombia are among those to have already done so.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
South Africa says it is recalling all of its diplomats from Tel Aviv following Israel’s intense air strikes on Gaza on Sunday night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12963,"featured_media":35726,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,15],"tags":[7,26,25],"class_list":{"0":"post-35729","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-politics","9":"tag-apie-project","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-politics"},"yoast_head":"\n